Events

The Missing Chapter Recitals

Friday 7 November. Doors open 6:30, 7pm start

Rivington Place

London, UK

Free event, booking recommended

Join us for an evening performance of live music, spoken word and photography. Interweaving their personal responses to Black Chronicles II will be pianist Isata Kanneh Mason and writer, musician Akala.

Part of Autograph ABP’s ongoing research project The Missing Chapter, unearthing Britain’s culturally diverse photographic history.

Part of the exhibition

About The Missing Chapter project

The Missing Chapter project aims to augment the photographic narratives of migration and cultural diversity in relation to Britain’s colonial history, and disseminate a visual heritage that is fragmented and often dislocated.

Over the next three years, The Missing Chapter will see Autograph ABP collaborate with major cultural institutions including the National Portrait Gallery, the Hulton Archive and the National Army Museum, to research, contextualise and present newly identified photographs, including the earliest examples of photographic evidence of black presences in Britain – dating back to the mid 1800s.

With his latest album The Thieves Banquet, Akala once again proves himself as one of the most dynamic and literate talents in the UK. Inspired by the likes of Saul Williams and Gil Scott Heron, Akala has also developed a reputation for stellar live performances with his drummer Cassell ‘TheBeatmaker’ headlining 5 UK tours and touring with everyone from Jay-Z, Nas & Damian Marley, M.I.A. and Christina Aguilera to Siouxsie Sue and Richard Ashcroft, appearing at numerous UK / European and US festivals (Glastonbury, Big Chill, Wireless, V, Hove and SXSW) also partnering with the British Council promoting British arts across Africa, Vietnam (the first rapper to perform a live concert in Vietnam), New Zealand and Australia.

In 2009, Akala launched the ‘The Hip-hop Shakespeare Company’, a hotly-tipped music theatre production enterprise which has sparked worldwide media interest since its inception. Previous collaborators include: British actor; Sir Ian McKellen, actor/musician; Colin Salmon and Royal Shakespeare Company Voice Director; Cicely Berry.

Akala has also featured on numerous TV programmes across MTV, Channel 4, ITV2 and the BBC. 2011 see’s the launch Akala’s latest endeavour ‘Illa State Productions’ to garner his budding scriptwriting talent alongside TV presenting and as a music composer for various TV and Film projects.

About Isata Kanneh Mason

Isata Kanneh Mason is from Nottingham and has been awarded the prestigious Elton John Scholarship to study piano at The Royal Academy of Music, London. In addition to the piano, Isata also plays the viola and violin.

Isata has performed around the UK with concerto appearances in chamber ensembles, and solo recitals including London venues, Wigmore Hall, The Royal Festival Hall, and St Martin-in-the-Fields, and has also appeared on several television and radio programmes including BBC Young Musician, Born To Shine, The Politics Show, BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour.